Parthenogenesis in SF
(Redirected from Parthenogenesis)
Reproduction involving development of an unfertilized ovum. Distinguish from technologies or magics that merge multiple ova, or reproduce from a non-ovum. Offspring would usually be clones of the mother; genetic variation would come from merging one ovum with other cells. (But this is sf, so use your imagination.) Sperm, pollen, technological or magical interventions may be needed, but the essence is that only the single cell goes on to develop.
List of relevant works
- Suzy McKee Charnas' Motherlines and The Furies. Charnas' women introduced in Motherlines were genetically altered to reproduce parthenogenetically with starter sperm - which they get from intercourse with horses. The sperm contribute no genetic material but the semen is required to start a pregnancy. The offspring are clones of the mothers, called "motherlines."
- Katherine Forrest, Daughters of a Coral Dawn and sequels
- Jane Fletcher, The World Celaeno Chose and sequels (third-party telekinetically induced parthenogenesis)
- Sally Miller Gearhart, The Wanderground
- Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland
- Leona Gom, The Y Chromsome (The characters go out of their way to describe their reproductive method -- "ovafusion" -- as neither cloning nor parthenogenesis. Doctors are able to use this method to fuse two eggs together in a woman. Pregnancy and childbirth are normal and the child inherits both parents' genetic material.)
- Nicola Griffith's Ammonite. Women may psychically fertilize one another; pregnancy and childbirth are normal, and the child inherits both parents' genetic material.
- Sandi Hall. Wingwomen of Hera (Spinsters / Aunt Lute: 1987) - the women of Hera are a parthenogenetic race ...
- Lane, Mary E. Bradley. Mizora
- Lapidus, Jacqueline. "Design for the City of Women," Heresies, no. 3 (Fall 1977). [society of lesbians with parthenogenetic reproduction]
- Merwin, Sam. Sex War. (A conspiracy of women try and fail to create parthenogenesis by tricking a male scientist into doing it for them.)
- Mushroom, Merril. Daughters of Khaton. Actually, it's not exactly clear that women are reproducing parthenogenetically, or if a plant is just making babies for them. The plant definitely seems to be doing it, but somehow by taking the genetics of the women ...
- Russ, Joanna. The Female Man
- Schulman, L. Neil. Rainbow Cadenza (Parthenogenesis is a reproductive option; one central character is parthenogenetic.)
- Rochelle Singer's The Demeter Flower - fertilization with the aid of the Demeter flower
- Joan Slonczewski's A Door Into Ocean - an all-female aquatic race that reproduces by parthenogenesis.
- Stewart, Jean. Isis Series. In the latter part of the 21st century, the women's colonies in the "Freeland" have developed a parthenogenetic technology that allows ova-fusion.
- James Tiptree, Jr., "Houston, Houston, Do You Read?"
- Young, Donna J. Retreat: As It Was! (Naiad, 1979) (A long, long time ago, the human race is all women ... )